ELECTRON-RICH η1-CYANO COMPLEXES OF IRON AND RUTHENIUM: PREPARATION AND NUCLEOPHILIC PROPERTIES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)99144-7

The cyano complexes (η⁵-C5H5)M(Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2)CN (4, M = Fe; 6, M = Ru) and (η⁵-C5H5)Ru(PPh3)2CN (5) have been prepared by treatment of the corresponding chlorides with methanolic potassium cyanide.The nucleophilicity of the cyano ligand has been demonstrated by the reactions of 5 with a variety of mild electrophiles (MeI, EtI, allyl bromide, PhCH2Br, ICH2CH2OH and cyclohexene oxide) to form the corresponding isonitrile cations.